“We shall not all sleep, be we shall all be changed”. This is not the slogan of children at a nursery, but the celebratory words of St Paul in the New Testament. He’s talking about the positive Christian benefit of Easter.

The new life enjoyed by Jesus – called resurrection – is the pattern of God’s intention for all who follow his Son. It is a uniquely Christian picture.

Eastern faiths, if they believe in a future life at all, talk about reincarnation – coming back after death to live in another form. How often we hear words like “in a former life I must have done ….”! Foreign belief systems have invaded our English language.

The Bible will have nothing to do with such notions. It is quite foreign to Christian belief. The Bible tells us that we are born as unique persons .. we live unique lives .. we die .. and we go to meet our Maker who decides on our eternal destination. Returning to earth is appropriate for astronauts – but not for anyone else.

So, what’s all this about being changed? St Paul is rejoicing about believers receiving new glorified bodies at the resurrection. The old ones, with whatever limitations we have, will be no longer appropriate for God’s new world. We will be given new resurrected bodies – ones that will last for all eternity. Ones that are free from the old aches and pains. It sounds out of this world – well, it will be! – but it will be really good news. Something to really look forward to – the best “New for Old” deal you’ll get anywhere.